Notch-56; [Mr. Freeze]

Using his signature style, artist Notch-56 honors his friend and fellow Hip Hop enthusiast Marc "Mr. Freeze" Lemberger with this Canadian Tuxedo adorned with graffiti.

Mr. Freeze first encountered Notch-56’s work while perusing an airbrush shop in Greenwich Village. Mr. Freeze was immediately taken away by the rawness of his graffiti and sensed his was not only a native New Yorker but was also the “real deal.” From that day forward, the two built a relationship centered around Hip Hop and the art produced from the culture. When Mr. Freeze opened his own air brush shop on Fordham Road in the Bronx, he naturally invited Notch-56 to join as an artist.

The present lot was created in 1994 in conjunction with Mr. Freeze opening an additional air brush studio in Las Vegas. Using the Lee jean jacket and pants as a canvas, Notch-56 created a unique piece of artwork that captures the dynamism of Hip Hop culture while paying homage to a seminal breaking figure. Painted on the back of the jacket, the piece features Mr. Freeze rendered in the artist's signature caricature style and is placed in front of a vibrant background of red and orange reminiscent of a fire. The caricature sports a pair of white shell toe adidas, a staple garment of B-boys, and the shoes that Mr. Freeze wore in his iconic Flashdance scene. True to his graffiti artist roots, Notch-56 uses typography to enhance his piece and prominently uses a stylized “Mr. Freeze” along the shoulder blades of the jacket.

Notch-56’s typography becomes the focal point of the second canvas of this piece. Rendered in large blue and green lettering, “FREEZE” runs vertically down the left pant leg.

Unworn and preserved in a frame, the present lot memorializes a living B-boy legend Mr. Freeze while showcasing Notch-56’s incredible style.